This invention relates to apparatus for reloading cartridges used in pistols and rifles and relates more specifically to a device for loading a cartridge with a predetermined quantity of powder.
During the reloading process, it is necessary to provide an accurately measured quantity of powder to the cartridge. Usually, the measuring device has a cavity that is filled from a powder hopper and then transferred to an opening that registers the cavity over a drop tube that communicates with the open end of the cartridge. In some prior art designs, the cavity is either adjustable in size, or changed in size with bushings and in other designs a movable member, usually called a charge bar, that contains the cavity, is substituted for a member having a cavity of different size to dispense a different volume of gunpowder.
In some prior art reloaders, the powder measuring device is combined with an expander element so the neck of the cartridge can be expanded to a proper dimension for receiving a bullet at the same time that the cartridge is being charged with powder. In this case, the powder drops through a hole in the expander plug. There are also prior art devices that have the charge bar or movable member operated automatically through cams and links so that every time an operating lever is actuated manually, powder is discharged whether or not there is a cartridge in place to receive it. This is obviously highly disadvantageous. Moreover, none of the prior art devices permit easy inspection of the drop tube to assure that the entire charge has dropped into the cartridge. If some of the powder accumulates in the drop tube, variable quantities of powder may be fed into the cartridges which could result in undercharging in some cases and dangerous overcharging in others.